Wind turbine rotor blade components and machine for making same

Abstract

An apparatus is disclosed for storing, tapering, cutting and dispensing preform layers of material includes a device for storing coiled lengths of the preform layers of material and a device for receiving coiled lengths of the preform layers of material. The device includes a grinding device to grind portions of the preform layers of material and a cutter to cut the grinded portions of material. A programmable controller is configured to control the operations of at least one of the device and mechanism.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for making, storing, dispensing, tapering, cutting and assembling one or more preform layers of material to form a structural element for a wind turbine blade comprising the steps of:
 (a) providing a preform layer of material of certain length dimensions and certain width dimensions, the preform layer of material including multiple elongate strength rods arranged longitudinally and parallel relative to one another and parallel to the length dimension in a single layer, each strength rod being disposed adjacent to and spaced from at least one adjacent strength rod;
 each strength rod including multiple, collimated structural fibers fixed in a solidified matrix resin; 
 the preform layer including at least one carrier layer to which the multiple strength rods are joined by an adhesive; 
 wherein the carrier layer spaces adjacent strength rods a fixed distance apart to facilitate the flow of liquid bonding resin between adjacent strength rods of the preform layer to its joined carrier layer, the carrier layer further being of a permeable material suitable to facilitate the flow of liquid bonding resin through the carrier layer; 
 
 (b) receiving coiled lengths of the preform layer of material provided from step (a); 
 (c) dispensing lengths of the preform layer of material; 
 (d) partially grinding through portions across the width of the preform layer of material at predetermined lengths along the length of the preform layer of material, the partial grinding forming a V-shape across the width of the preform layer of material; 
 (e) cutting the grinded portions of material at the vertex of the V-shape to produce cut preform layers of predetermined lengths; 
 (f) stacking each length of cut preform layer with one or more other preform layers; 
 (g) causing liquid bonding resin to flow between adjacent strength rods and through the carrier layer to which the strength rods are joined and to adjacent stacked preform layers; and, 
 (h) solidifying the liquid bonding resin to fix the stacked preform layers to form a structural element for a wind turbine blade. 
 
     
     
       2. A method for making, storing, dispensing, tapering and cutting one or more preform layers of material to form a structural element for a wind turbine blade comprising the steps of:
 (a) providing a preform layer of material of certain length dimensions and certain width dimensions, the preform layer of material including multiple elongate strength rods arranged longitudinally and parallel relative to one another and to the length dimension of the preform layer of material in a single layer, each strength rod being disposed adjacent to and spaced from at least one adjacent strength rod;
 each strength rod including multiple collimated structural fibers fixed in a solidified matrix resin; 
 the preform layer including at least one carrier layer to which the multiple strength rods are joined by an adhesive; 
 
 wherein the carrier layer spaces adjacent strength rods a fixed distance apart to facilitate the flow of liquid bonding resin between adjacent strength rods of the preform layer to its joined carrier layer, the carrier layer further being of a permeable material suitable to facilitate the flow of liquid bonding resin through the carrier layer; 
 (b) storing coiled lengths of the preform layer of material provided from step (a); 
 (c) dispensing lengths of the preform layer of material; 
 (d) partially grinding through portions across the width of the preform layer of material at predetermined lengths along the length of the preform layer of material to form a V-shape across the width of the preform layer of material; and, 
 (e) cutting the grinded portions of material at the vertex of the V-shape to produce cut preform layers of predetermined lengths.